starley



(N0 MOMI!) 2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

W. STARLEY 8v H. S. OWEN. TANDBM BICYCLE.

N0.415,7072. Patented Nov. l2, 1889.

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STARLEY 8v H. S. OWEN..

TANDEM BICYCLE. l No. 415,072'. Patented Nov. l2., 1889.

i-4:47 vx-x N. PETERS. Pnmwumaghpher. wnhi'wmn, D. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM STARLEY, OF COVENTRY, ENGLAND, AND HERBERT S. OXVEN, OFVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

TANDEM BICYC LE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,072, dated November12,1889. Appiieaien filed october 24,1888. vserai No. 289,003.(remodel.)

T0 all whom it may concern; The rear portion of the frame b has its rear\Be it known that we, WILLIAM STARLEY, of end forked to receive the rearwheel, and its Coventry, England, and HERBERTS. OWEN, forward end madeof tubularform and rigidly of Washington, in the District of Columbia, yunited bya T-coupling or equivalent connec- 55 5 have invented certainImprovements in Tantion to the upturned end of the member a..

dem Bicycles, of whichthe 'following is a Justforward of the rearwheelatubular standspecification. ard J is passed through the rearmember o of In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is the main frame andbrazed or otherwise riga side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a idlysecured thereto. Its upper end receives 6o Io top plan view of the same.Fig. 3 is a diagram within it the adjustable L-rod K, by whichillustrating the arrangement of the drivingthe rear seat M is sustained.chains. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through The lower depending end ofthe standardJ the rear steering-shaft on the line m', Fig. l. isprovided with transverse bearings N, which Fig. 5 is a section onthe'line Fig. 3. Fig. support a crank-shaft O, provided at its two 65v r5 6 is a section on the line y y, Fig. Y Fig. 7 ends with cranks andpedals,and also provided is a plan view, partly in section, showing thein one end withasprocket-wheelP, connected coupling between thesteering-handles. by a chain Q to a sprocket-wheel R, affixed toReferring to the drawings, A represents the the main driving-wheel E. Tothe forward front steering-wheel, having its aXle mounted portion a ofthe frame, at its lowest point, di- 7o zo in the lower end of thesteering-fork B, which rectly beneath the forward saddle, is secured isprovided at the top with a transverse steera bearing S, which sustains atransverse shaft ing bar or handle C, secured rigidly thereto in T,provided at its two ends with cranks and any suitable manner. This forkis connected pedals, and also provided on one end with a above the wheelby an upright axis or center sprocket-wheel U, which is connected by a75 z 5 to the forward-end of the main frame D, which chain V to asprocket-wheel WV on the rear latter is sustained at its rear end by thedrivcrankshaft. ing-wheel E. At the forward end the frame It is to benoted that the bearing S is conis curved downward and rearward from thenected to the frame by a transverse pivotsteering-center, and, risingagain midway of bolt s, as shown in Figs. 1, 5, and. This is 8o 3o itslength, it is extended rearward in a forked advantageous in that itprevents the springshape to receive the axle of the rear wheel. ing orbending of the frame, which occurs The frame may ,be built up in theform chiefly in'its depressed portion immediately shown in any suitablemanner; but it is the Aabove the bearing and throwing the bearing commonpractice to employ for the forward forward or backward, so as to changethe 8 5 35 end a single piece of tubing c, curved upward tension of theforward chain.

at the forward end to the steering-center and It will be observed thatpower applied to curved upward at the rear end to receive the theforward shaft is transmitted thence to the adjustable L-rod F or othersupport for the rear shaft and communicated from the latter forward seatG. This upturned rear end of to the rear wheel, the power applied to the9o 4o the part a also receives and sustains an uprear shaft being alsotransmitted to the wheel right shaft h, which rotates freely therein,and by the same chain Q. which is provided at the upper end with the Onreference to Fig 3 it will be seen that transverse steering bar orhandle H, this hanthe two chains are located on the same side dle beinglocated, as shown, in rear of the forof the machine or at the same endof the shaft 95 4 5 ward seat. At one end the two steering-bars O. Nowthe strain of the forward chain tends are connected by a horizontal rodI, pivoted to urge the shaft forward, while the strain of or otherwisejointed to theirends in any suitthe rear chain tends to urge itbackward. In able manner,this arrangement compelling the consequence ofthis fact the forward and two handle-bars to maintain parallelpositionsbackward strains counteract or neutralize loo 5o and permitting themachine to be steered by each other, so that there is little side straineither or both of the riders. upon the shaft O in its bearings. Thearrangement entirely overcomes the serious difficulties which arecommonly encountered in this type of machine by reason of the shaft-sbeing turned at one end against their bearings with great pressure,which usually results in excessive wear of the bearings and in the'parts being thrown out of alignment.

A brace X, preferably tubular, is extended forward from the rearshaft-bearing at the lower end of the standard J to the bearing S, whichsupports the forward shaft T. The forward end of the brace -X is seatedto slide endwise in the shaft-bearing S, which is slotted and providedwith a transverse bolt W', by which it maybe contracted to firmly graspthe brace. A bolt 72, lying lengthwise of the brace, passing through astud on its under side, acts against the rear side of the bearing toforce the brace rearward in relation thereto. The eifect of thisadjustment is to increase the distance between the two bearingsV andthereby increase the tension of the forward chain V. One or morebrace-rods Y are extended from the bearings of the rear shaft to therear end of the frame, being connected at their forward ends to thebearings by adjusting-nuts rw, as shown, or by equivalent adjustingdevices. These braces serve not only to give rigidity to the structure,but also to regulate the tension of the rear chain.

It is to be observed that the abovede scribed devices admit of thetension of the front and the rear chains being regulated independently,and that the interpostion of the braces X and Y between the frontbearing and the driven wheel holds the forward bearing to its place andprevents the frame from being weakened or bent by the strains of thechains when in action.

Each of the seat-sustaining rods F and K is adjustable vertically in itssupport, each rod being conned by a set-screw c or its equivalent.

It will be observed that the rod K, which sustains the rear seat, isbent rearward at its upper end, so as to overhang the rear wheel andsustain the rear saddle over the forward part of the wheel. The rod F,which supports the forward saddle, is, on the contrary, projectedforward at its upper end, in order that the said saddle may be sustainedat a suitable distance in advance of the rear steering-bar.

The upper ends of the seat-supports are extended horizontally, and theseat-sustaining springs may be adjustable in a fore-andati; directionthereon, as usual in other machines.

The rear steering-shaft 7L is seated at its lower end in a sleeve 7L',in which it is free to turn. The sleeve is inserted in the upper slottedend of the post or standard 71.2, which is encircled by a contractingring or collar h3, by means of which the standard may be caused to rmlyembrace the sleeve. The steering-shaft is provided with asustainingshoulder, which rests on top of the sleeve 7L', and isprevented from rising out of the sleeve by a washer h4, bolted to itslower end and bearing beneath the sleeve, as shown. By adjusting thesleeve vertically in the standard the rear steering-bar may be raised orlowered, as desired. It will be seen that provision is thus made foradjusting the seatsin relation to the pedals, as may be demanded by thelength of limb of the riders, and provision is also made forindependently adjusting the two steering bars or handles, as may berequired.

The foot-rest Z is attached to and depends from the rear member bof theframe forward of the rear seat and in suitable position to receive thefoot of its occupant.

It is to be particularly noticed that in our machine both seats arelocated between lilies falling vertically through the aves of thewheels, or, in other words, are inside of the wheelbase, so that themachine may be used with safety bya single rider occupying either of theseats. It will also be noticed that the forward portion of our frameaffords an open unobstructedv space for the skirts of female riders, andthat this open or bent portion of 4 the frame is greatly strengthenedand stiifened by the brace X.

As one steering-handle may at times require to be adjusted vertically inrelation to the other, which would change the distance between them, weprefer to construct the connecting-rod at its ends with forked headsconnected by vertical pivots t" to sleeves i2, swveling on the arms t,projecting from the ends of the handles, as shown in Fig. 7, and tothread the end of the rod into one of these heads, so that bydisconnecting the head from the handle-bar and turning it upon the rodthe connection will be changed in length as required. l

An adjustable brace A may be extended across the forward dropped portionof the frame-that is to say, from a point at or near the steering-headto a point at or near the forward seat. As shown in the drawings, thisbrace is provided with eyes at its two ends, the forward end slippedover the steering head or center, and the rear end slipped over the rodwhich sustains the forward seat, each end being provided with andsecured by a set-screw.

Te commonly use in connection with the forward wheel a brake attached tothe steering-fork and operated by a hand-lever, as represented in thedrawings; but this feature forms no part of our invention. In order togive greater control of the machine, and particularly to enable the rearrider to check its advance, we also provide a brake acting on the rearwheel, as shown in Figs. l and 2. A hand-lever e, pivoted near one endto the rear steering-bar H, is jointed at its inner end near thevertical steering-shaft 7i to the upper end of a rod z. This rod is inturn pivoted at its lower extremity to one end of an elbow-lever z2,pivotcd at si to the main frame. Freni the rear end of this lever e arod ff IOO extends downward and rearward to a crankarmz, xed rigidly toone end of the horizontal rock-shaft Z6. This shaft is mounted, asshown, in the rear part of the main frame and carries a dependingbrake-arm or spoon c7 in position to act on the periphery of the rearwheel. The operator, grasping the steering-handle H, raises the outerend of the lever ,z2 with his fingers, the effect being to depress therod c", and, through the intermediate parts, force the brake against thewheel.

It will be observed that the peculiar connections above described admitof the rear brake being operated without interfering with the action ofthe riders limbs or the steeringbar.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is l. The frame for atandem bicycle, comprising the U-s'haped forward end, the forked rearend l), rigidly attached thereto, the standard J, the two shaft-bearingsattached one to said standard and the other tothe forward part of theframe, and a brace X between said bearings.

2. The main frame for a tandem bicycle, comprising the U-shaped forwardmember a, in one piece with the upright tubular rear end to admit therear steering-shaft therein, the forked rear member b, attached rigidlyto the upper end of the member a, to carry the rear wheel, and thestandard J, fixed rigidly to and extending above and below the member b,as shown, to carry the rear seat and the rear shaft-bearing.

3. In a tandem bicycle, the main frame, the rear wheel therein, and thefront steeringwheel and its supporting-fork, in combination with a rearsteering-bar H, mounted on the frame and connected through intermediateparts with the front fork to turn the same, a hand-lever movable withsaid steering-bar, a brake mounted on the frame and acting on theperiphery of the rear wheel, and connections, substantially as shown,from said lever to the brake, whereby the rear rider is enabled with onehand to control the distant steering-wheel and also to control the brakeof the rear wheel.

4. In combination with the main frame, the rear wheel therein, the frontwheel, its swiveled fork and steering-bar, the steering-bar H, havingits shaft 71 mounted in the frame, the connection between the twosteering-bars, the pivoted brake acting on the rear wheel, thehand-lever e', rod z', lever z2, and the rod z3, connecting t-helast-named lever with the brake.

5.- In combination with the main frame having an upright tubular member,a verticallyadjustable sleeve or collar seated therein, and asteering-shaft H, provided with a steeringhandle, said shaft mounted toturn freely in and sustained by a sleeve, substantially as shown,whereby the adjustment of the sleeve is kcaused to vary the height ofthe handle.

6. In combination with the tubular standard cc and its contractingdevice, the vertically-adjustable non-rotating sleeve therein, thesteering-shaft 7L, seated in the sleeve to turn freely and shouldered torest thereon, and the fastening devices at the lower end to hold theshaft from rising out of the sleeve.

7. In a tandem bicycle, the main frame provided with the driving-wheeland the two pedal-shafts connected by sprocket-wheels and chains, incombination with the lon gitudinal brace extending from the rear end ofthe frame to the bearing of the rear shaft, and thelongitudinally-adjustable brace lying between the shaft-bearings.

8. In a tandem bicycle, the main frame and the rear driving-wheeltherein, in combination with the front and rear pedal-shafts, theirbearings attached to the frame, the chains and pulleys connecting saidshafts and also connectin g the rear shaft to the driving-wheel, andbraces extending respectively from a point at or near the axis of themain wheel to the rear shaft-bearing and from the latter to the frontshaft bearing, whereby both shafts are held at a proper distance fromeach other and from the driving-wheel.

9. In a tandem bicycle of the type herein shown, the main frame, the twopedal shaftbearings, one iixed and the other pivoted to the frame, andan intermediate brace fixed to the bearings to keep the same inposition, whereby the springing or bend in g of the frame is preventedfrom changing the distance between the bearings.

10. In a tandem bicycle, the main drivingwheel E and-its sprocket-wheel,in combination with the two pedal-shafts provided with sprocket-wheels,the chain connecting the wheels of the two shafts, and the chain fromthe wheel of the rear shaft. to the drivingwheel, said chains and theircarrying-wheels being mounted all on one side of the machine, wherebythe opposing strains of the two chains are caused to prevent excessiveside pressure on the rear pedal-shaft.

Il. In combination with the main frame IOO IIO

and the two pedal-shaft bearings, the inter-

